Student

Teachers Name: Danielle Wilson

Date: 3/6/15
Lesson Title: Evolution and DNA
Subject: Biology
Instruction time: 42 minutes
Students grade Level: 10th Grade

State Standard(s):
Species evolve over time. (S.912.LS.8)
Evolution is consequence of: population potential, genetic variability, finite resources and environmental selection.
(S.912.LS.8)
Natural selection scientifically explains the fossil record. (S.912.LS.9)
Natural selection explains molecular similarity of diverse species. (S.912.LS.9)
Natural selection is a mechanism for evolution leading to organism diversity. (S.912.LS.9)
Current diverse species are related by descent from common ancestors. (S.912.LS.10)
Biological classification is based on evolutionary relationships. (S.912.LS.11)
Species is the most fundamental classification unit. (S.912.LS.11)

Learning Objectives:
Students will understand how classification of species has changed over time as a result of concepts regarding
evolution and genetics.
Students will understand how classification, fossils, DNA, and evolution are connected.
Students will understand how natural selection explains molecular similarity of diverse species.
Students will be able to connect all concepts regarding evolution.

Student Needs/Differentiation:
A student in the special education program will be paired with a student he enjoys working with in order to increase
his motivation.
Other students may receive extra support as I circulate around the room during individual and group work times. If
they are struggling to understand a question or task, I can reword it and use questioning strategies to help scaffold the
lesson better for them.
Some students will receive additional assistance from a resource teacher.

Resources/Materials:
Picture of Finches (on a computer)
Projector

Instructional method(s) used in this lesson:
Think/Pair/Share, Think/Pair/Write/Share
Discussion with higher-order thinking questions
Concept Map

Lesson Sequence:

Hook:
Ask students: If you had to guess a percentage, how much DNA do you think all humans have in common? Some
students may remember from a previous lesson that its 99%. If they dont, they will probably guess a much lower
number, since humans are so diverse. We as a species are very diverse, but we share 99% of the same DNA code! How
much DNA do you think we humans share with chimpanzees? 95%! We recently did a banana DNA lab where we isolated
banana DNA. How much do you think we share with a banana? Around 50%! Talk with your partners for 1 minute
about why you think such different organisms might share so much DNA coding. As a class, discuss this idea. Weve
talked before about DNAs use in crime and law enforcement. DNA is used not only to identify a criminal, but DNA can be
used from a close relative. This is because close relatives such as a father and daughter will share a great amount of DNA
that is used to identify a person. In a different situation, DNA could be used to verify if a person is related to another
(You ARE the father!). (5 min)

Discussion:
Talk in your partners for 1 minute about how DNA can verify or show how people are related. Students should say
something about meiosis and how offspring always get 50% of their DNA from one parent and 50% from the other
(through fertilization). Therefore, we can surmise that individuals with a lot of common DNA are related. If DNA
shows a blood relation, what can be said about the 99% that all humans have in common? Students should say that it
shows that were all related. What about the 95% we share with chimpanzees? Some students might also say that

were related to chimpanzees. And what about the 50% we share with bananas? Students will probably differ in
opinions on this point, but the point is that common DNA implies a relationship, and many scientists use this as
evidence that all living organisms are related and come from a common ancestor. Whether or not that is actually true
(we can never know for sure), it does help us to understand how different species might have had a common ancestor.
Explain to students: This is why scientists who are classifying species are turning to DNA to help them. They want to be
able to classify the species in such a way as to imply relationship.
Think back to the M&M activity. Remind me: what were those four contributing factors to evolution? They are:
population potential, genetic variability, finite resources, and environmental/natural selection.
o Put a picture of the finches from the galapagos on the projector. Explain that these birds are very similar, but
on one island they might have a thicker beak. On another, a longer beak. And that all depends on the
resources found on the islands.
o Take a couple minutes with your partners to talk about how these four factors (which describe the process of
evolution) explain why two finches from different islands might have a lot of common DNA.
o Discuss as a class that as a population of organisms sharing a lot of DNA grows, they compete for resources in
their environment. Depending on what resources are available and how much, certain parts of the
population will be more successful, causing a differentiation in physical traits (such as beaks). The genes are
present in the population for all the different types of beaks, but some beak types became more common
because of the resources on the island. The fact that finches from different islands share a lot of DNA still,
even though they have differentiated, is evidence that the finches were once in a single population (evidence
that they are related through a common ancestor). (15 min)

Concept Map:
Ask students: Think back on all that weve discussed regarding evolution. What kinds of terms or concepts became
important in our discussions and activities? Take 2 minutes with your partner to come up with a list. Make a list with
the class on the board. Terms should include:
o Evolution
o DNA
o Natural/Environmental selection
o Related/Relationship
o Population potential
o Classification
o Finite resources
o Species
o Time (evolution happens over time)
o Darwin
o Fossils
o Diversity/Diversification
o Radiocarbon dating
o Common ancestors
o Half-Life
o Nature of Science
If students have trouble with this list, remind them of specific activities they participated in that included these
ideas/terms.
Have students use these terms as a tool to help them create a concept map with their partners (give them 5 minutes).
As they work, walk around and ask them about the connections theyre making, specifically if they are missing
connections or if a connection doesnt make sense. Ask them how they can add in specific terms that are missing.
Note: *It would be helpful to know what connections students can be making if the instructor has already made their
own concept map. (15-17 min)

Closure of the Lesson:
Exit Ticket:
o Why is it important to see how science ideas relate to one another (for example, DNA and evolution)?
o Write down two questions you still have about evolution. This could be about something you dont understand
very well or something youve been curious about.
o How will you study for the upcoming test over evolution? (5-7 min)

Check(s) for understanding and scaffolding of student learning
As students work in pairs, I will walk around and listen to their conversations and check their concept maps. I will
also ask to look over their answers from the homework.
Assessment of student understanding will also happen during the whole class discussion.

Assessment of/for learning
I will check student ideas for questions on the test based on the homework from the day before.
Students will display their understanding in the creation of the list of terms and the concept map. This will help them
to self-evaluate their understanding of the content, and I will check student work as they participate in this.

Bridge to next lesson
The next lesson is a review session for the test. Students are preparing for this by creating test questions the day
before this lesson, and creating a concept map during this lesson.